The profession and community expectations on the profession have changed
The current curriculum structure was developed over 20 years ago—it has served us well, but we need a new structure to serve our goals in the current context
Technology, digital teaching technology, and the way students learn has changed significantly in 20 years
The aim of the curriculum is to develop science-empowered, safe, socially accountable decision-makers.
Adopt an approach to learning and that explicitly encourages and develops skills in decision-making and problem solving: inquiry-based learning (Recommendation 3)
Adopt an approach to assessment that explicitly encourages and develops skills in decision-making and problem solving (Recommendation 4)
Adopt blended learning strategies
Develop a work-integrated learning strategy (Recommendation 6)
Reflective critical thinkers who possess the professional knowledge and skills to collaborate with others to improve health through wise use of medicines
Providers of safe and effective person-centred care, who take responsibility for medication-related outcomes, and advocate for the safe and effective use of medicines in the community
Problem solvers who apply scientific, clinical and professional knowledge through research, inquiry and education to address existing and emerging challenges for individuals and society
Excellent communicators and team members, who are able to manage themselves and others, and to provide leadership in medication management
Pharmacy practice and medicines management
Pharmaceutical sciences
Social pharmacy and the health system
| Proposed change | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Remove PHRM1012 | PHRM1102 seeks to bring PHRM1012 and PHRM2011 together and increase student exposure to clinical complexity from Y1 |
| Remove PHRM1020 | Dual learning objectives of PHRM1020 to be split and provided throughout curriculum (i.e. both pharmaceutical calculations and statistical reasoning and inference) |
| Remove CHEM1222 | Identify key components of CHEM1222 and deliver just-in-time within the pharmaceutical sciences stream |
| Remove PHRM3052 | Some of the learning objectives can move into PHRM2500 and some can be integrated into Y2 and Y3 Pharmacy practice and medicines management courses |
| Remove PHRM4030 | Address learning objectives in Social Pharmacy and Health System (Leadership) and Pharmacy Practice and Medicines Management (e.g. stock management). Consider opportunities for capstone projects. |
| Proposed change | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Combine BIOM and PHRMx011/2 | Further integrate physiology/pharmacology and therapeutics/pharmacy practice |
| Combine pharmaceutical sciences stream | Combine 12 units from dose form design, drug discovery and microbiology. The proposed curriculum has 8 units in courses labelled as pharmaceutical sciences. Approximately 2 units of material to be integrated into Y1 foundational subjects and later Pharmacy practice and medicines management. Review opportunity to movie some teaching from a “drug class approach” to a “key concepts approach”. |
| Stream | Pharmacy practice and medicines management |
|---|---|
| Stream Aim | Develop essential scientific, clinical and professional knowledge in medicines management. (See also “Dispensing and consultation skills” and “Work-integrated learning”) |
| Stream Objectives | Demonstrate professional expertise in medicines management. |
| Apply scientific, clinical and professional knowledge to improve health | |
| Deliver safe and effective person-centred care | |
| Communicate with consumers and other health professionals to improve health |
| Stream | Consultation and Dispensing Skills |
|---|---|
| Stream Aim | Develop expertise in consulting with consumers and dispensing medicines in a legal, professional and clinically appropriate manner |
| Stream Objectives | Be able to dispense medicines safely, effectively and legally |
| Consult with consumers to ensure safe and effective use of medicines | |
| Appropriately manage minor ailments | |
| Work effectively as part of the broader healthcare team to ensure safe and effective use of medicines | |
| Deliver safe and effective person-centred care and advocate for the safe and effective use of medicines in the community |
| Stream | Work-integrated learning |
|---|---|
| Stream Aim | Provide scaffolded and integrated experiential learning |
| Stream Objectives | Develop and reflect on professional identity |
| Engage with consumers, patients, pharmacy staff and other members of the healthcare team | |
| Demonstrate skill development in a clinical context | |
| Practice and develop skills in applying scientific, clinical and professional knowledge to the care of individual patients |
| Stream | Pharmaceutical sciences |
|---|---|
| Stream Aim | Develop expertise in the pharmaceutical sciences, including medicinal chemistry, drug discovery and dosage form design |
| Stream Objectives | Integrate and apply insights from the pharmaceutical sciences to address clinical problems |
| Integrate and apply a range of formulation concepts in the science of dose form design | |
| Demonstrate and apply a knowledge of drug discovery from the laboratory to the clinic | |
| Demonstrate the skills required to perform quality control analysis of a pharmaceutical product | |
| Promote and advocate for cultural safety and respond to health inequity | |
| Independently source and analyse evidence that is important in the formulation and evaluation of pharmaceuticals | |
| Compound medicines that are safe and meet all professional and legal standards |
| Year | Activities |
|---|---|
| Y1 | Develop professional skills, attitudes and knowledge. Simulated entrustrable professional activity development. Encourage conversations with consumers about medicines. |
| Y2S1 | Develop professional skills, attitudes and knowledge. Simulated entrustrable professional activity development. Placement-ready assessment hurdle (skills, attitudes and knowledge). |
| Y2S2 | Short placement (mainly community pharmacy). Entrustrable professional activity assessment by preceptor. |
| Y3 | Year-long embedded rotating placements. Students rotated through groups community, hospital, aged care, clinics and additional sites. Entrustrable professional activity assessment by preceptor. |
| Y4 | Two six-week immersion placements. One in community pharmacy and one in hospital, aged care, clinics and additional sites. Enstrustable professional activity assessment by preceptor. Major students may undertake a third immersive placement in research. |
Assess the development of skills, attitudes and behaviours via a longitudinal professional portfolio assessment
Ensure a balanced assessment profile targeted towards explicitly assessing decision-making and problem-solving.
Consider implementing two cross-curriculum assessment hurdles:
A mix across each of the Competency Standards Skill Assessments and Scholarly Skill Assessments to ensure broad coverage and lay the foundation for the subsequent year
At least one team-based task
Develop thinking skills
Identify and use metacognitive thinking strategies
Foster the development of thinking dispositions
Synthesis
Analysis
Evaluation
Complex thinking processes
Questions, comments and concerns are welcome. Contact Adam, Sarah, Christine or any member of the curriculum crew.
Once these broad plans are confirmed: start work on implementation. Short-term tasks include:
Social pharmacy and the health system